An unexpected wedding
by Lady Nassah
Summary: Just before her wedding Buffy realises she's in love with someone who's not the groom *Complete*


An Unexpected Wedding  
  
Author: Humaira  
  
Rating: G  
  
Pairing: Buffy/Giles  
  
Category: Romance  
  
Spoilers: It's after "Into the woods" and "The Body" but before Glory gets nasty.  
  
Summary: Just before her wedding Buffy realises she's in love with someone who's not the groom  
  
Disclaimer: It all belongs to Joss Whedon. I am gaining nothing from this except reviews and constructive criticism. (Hopefully)  
  
A/N: I wanna thank my Beta Liz, who you can visit at http://www.inner-moppet.net/ for making this story much better then I intended it to be. Hugs Lizzy  
  
The waitress set down a mug of coffee in front of the rain drenched young woman. She took in the now soaked wedding dress and the far away expression on the woman's face before going back behind the counter.  
  
There were hardly any people at the Espresso Pump today and the few who were there tried not to stare too much at the bride who clutched her coffee mug tightly, trying to warm her hands  
  
Her hands were small and the nails painted pale pink. Her blonde hair swept up into an elegant French twist. She must have looked lovely before she went into the rain, but her white veil was pushed back to reveal the makeup that had run down her face. She would have looked lovely had she been dry, which she was becoming now. But her makeup was running all down her face.   
  
The wedding dress itself was off white with puffy shoulders, a form fitting top half, almost a bask, and it connected with the billowing skirt so it left anyone looking at it that it in no doubt that it was meant to be worn by a bride.  
  
The waitress surveyed the mascara which was now leaving calling cards down the young woman's face and whispered to her colleague, "You think she realised too late she never loved him or maybe she cheated on him?" Her colleague shrugged and went back to the coffee cup he was holding and proceeded to serve it to a customer, ending with a cheery smile and a thank you.  
  
This should have been the happiest day of Buffy's life, so why wasn't she at her wedding becoming Mrs. Riley Finn? She stared at her cup of coffee as if it held the answers, trying to understand why she was leaving a perfectly good man.  
  
She mulled over the circumstances that led to today, starting with the night she stopped him before he got onto that helicopter. Before he left her for a life in the Marines.  
  
She was so relieved to have caught him that she tried extra hard to be the perfect girlfriend.  
  
She had shut up talking about her problems, she had let him have sex with her but she never enjoyed it.  
  
Then the morning she was going to tell him how she felt, they received a phone call.   
  
It had been from Riley's father. Apparently his mother had died of a heart attack and her last wish had been for Riley to be married.   
  
Riley had proposed to her there, and then and she had no option but to say yes.  
  
While he went for the funeral she told the gang. They seemed happy for her, even Giles, who said his congratulations before attending to something in the back room. She didn't see the tears in his eyes or the anger within him as he took out his grief on the brick wall, making his knuckles bleed  
  
The one thing he had been hoping for, the one person he loved with all his heart was taken away by Captain Cardboard as Spike had once nicknamed him. But, Giles being Giles had bandaged his hand and buried his feelings deep, so deep that they rivalled Davy Jones' locker.  
  
Then he emerged from the back room and busied himself with the flurry of customers, vowing to be nothing but Buffy's friend.  
  
Buffy took a sip of her coffee, thinking about the men in her life. Angel had left her, Riley nearly did, but Giles.   
  
Giles never did.  
  
She remembered the little things he did that she took for granted. The things that neither Angel nor Riley did. He made her favourite coffee for her and kept extra clothes for her at his house in case of emergencies. He patrolled with her, he trained her and he made her laugh with his funny British ways.  
  
She also realised as she drank the life giving liquid, which was her coffee that he allowed her to be herself. She never felt she had to pretend with Giles. They had seen each other at their best and their worst. They helped each other through, and he was her confidant.  
  
She had never felt like that with Angel or Riley. She didn't have to act all tough like with Angel nor did she have to pretend to love him like she did with Riley. 'Plus', she thought wryly, 'He's the only man who can keep up with me.' Angel could hold his own in a fight and so could Riley. But Giles knew her moves because he MADE those moves. When they sparred they were perfectly in synch and he had vastly improved in his fighting skills.  
  
She realised he had a nice smile and a beautiful laugh. His eyes twinkled when he was happy.  
  
She also realised he had been there for her unselfishly after she found out about Dawn. When she couldn't deal, he picked up the pieces.  
  
Travers had called it a father's love. Maybe it was, but did a father ever look at you as if you were the most beautiful woman on earth?   
  
He tried to hide it, but she saw. And she looked at him now. Really looked at him as more then her father figure, teacher and Watcher. He had agreed to give her away. Her father couldn't be found at all. As Giles, the man who loved her. The man who wanted to make her happy, who cared only to make her feel beautiful, happy and secure.  
  
"Oh My God!" she said out loud as she picked up her train, paid for her coffee and left to find Riley.  
  
Riley paced. He had been pacing since the others had refused to let him see Buffy, saying she was still getting ready. He didn't want to do this Buffy didn't love him anymore and truth be told, he couldn't marry someone who didn't love him back. He had not noticed it until he had come back from the funeral, but she never voluntarily kissed him, she never told him anything. What was a marriage without love and trust? So, he paced until he ran into Buffy.  
  
She came running from the entrance to the registry office holding her train in one hand. He thought she had been getting dressed in the toilets. She looked terrible, and it seemed like she had been out in the rain. Her mascara was running, her hair was ruined and her wedding gown was soaked. But she had a determined look on her face as she said the words he couldn't. "I don't want to get married. I'm not in love with you. I tried Riley, I really did. I just can't marry someone I'm not in love with."  
  
It hurt when she said it, even though he didn't love her but still. "Neither do I, I love you, but I can't marry you if you don't love me back. I don't want you to have to try to love me, love should be natural"  
  
She was startled by his revelation but he just hugged her and said, "Goodbye Buffy, have a nice life. I'm going to the Marines."   
  
And with that he was gone. And she never saw him again.  
  
After a moment or two she walked determinedly to where the gang was waiting. They were all chatting to each other, seemingly oblivious to where she had gone and what had happened.  
  
They all looked up as she entered and stared at her drenched form. Buffy made her way to Giles and kissed him there and then, with all the passion she could muster. All the love she could muster pouring all the love she felt for him into that kiss.  
  
Everyone was shocked.  
  
Xander's mouth was literally down to the floor. Willow was stunned then pleased. Anya was looking like nothing was wrong and Dawn looked smug. Giles was too shocked to respond at first, wondering if this was a dream, but if it wasn't, he decided, he was going to get the bloody best out of it that he could.  
  
When they pulled apart she looked deeply into his eyes and said, "I realised I loved you. That when it came to it, I didn't want anyone else. Now, look me in the eye and tell me you don't love me, and we'll never speak of it again."  
  
Giles was stunned. He tried to make his mouth make sound, but it wouldn't. He had loved her since he met her, and now she knew, in fact she was professing her love for him!  
  
"What about Riley?" he asked hesitantly.  
  
"He's gone. I told him I didn't love him and he still loves me, but he says he can't marry someone who has to try to love him. Love should be natural, and I just love you Rupert. I don't have to try, I just do. So now I'm late for my wedding, and there's no groom. Rupert, will you marry me?" she asked looking into his eyes waiting for him to push her away.  
  
He looked into her eyes to see if the question was genuine. Seeing her sincerity he answered without hesitation. "Yes."  
  
"OK, but first, I think a little clean up might be in order. Won't be more then half an hour" she said kissing him again. Taking the girls with her to the bathroom to help clean her up. Within half an hour a miracle was performed. Dawn was sent out to buy a new dress, which Willow and Tara gleefully helped Buffy into while Anya retouched her hair and makeup.  
  
Giles was still trying to comprehend what was happening when Xander looked him in the eye and said, "You hurt her, and you're dead meat."  
  
"Same goes to you, all of you" he said with a fierceness he usually kept bottled up. His buried feelings resurfaced and wanted air. They were alive again and being reciprocated.  
  
Xander shook his hand, then hugged him and with a grin said, "I'm happy for you Giles. You and Buffy deserve happiness, with each other."  
  
Half an hour later a radiant Buffy emerged from her makeshift dressing room. Looking gorgeous in a red dress, the white veil the white veil back in place. Looking gorgeous in a red dress, the white veil back in place. Giles' jaw just dropped to the floor and it was a while before he could say, "You look beautiful. The most beautiful woman in the world."  
  
She blushed and linked her arm through his, "Ready to get married, Rupert?"  
  
"Always" came the reply  
  
And with that they went to the registry office and got married with all their friends there. After signing the paper and officially becoming husband and wife, and after a lot of kissing, they went to the Espresso Pump to celebrate.  
  
"Guess she found her Prince Charming," sniggered the waiter before his colleague went to serve the gang. The waitress's her eyes widened, amazed at the transformation  
  
"So, does this mean you'll be living with us?" asked Dawn once they had started eating.  
  
"Yes, my lease is almost up. And I would love to," he said looking at Dawn.  
  
Dawn stared at him with her best, 'If-you-hurt-my sister-I-will-kill-you' face and asked, "You promise to never hurt her and love her?"  
  
Giles stared at the teenager's deathly stare before saying, "I promise. I also promise to treat you like an adult when you stop acting like a whiny brat. In return, I'll let you research, and myself and the rest of the gang will help you learn fighting, basic magic, first aid and carpentry"  
  
Dawn smiled, satisfied and pleased with the proposition as she went to hug her new brother-in-law. "Mom would have approved."  
  
Buffy looked at her new husband and then back at her sister.  
  
"I think she would have." 


End file.
